The arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the CBI in connection with the excise policy scam has been challenged in the Supreme Court. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court is expected to hear his petition for an urgent hearing. This comes a day after a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court granted Sisodia a 5-day remand until March 4 to allow the CBI to question him in the excise policy case.
On Monday, the senior AAP leader appeared in court. The CBI arrested Sisodia on Sunday. On Monday, Aam Aadmi Party leaders and workers protested across the country, claiming vengeance for Sisodia’s arrest and demanding his immediate release.
Workers were seen sitting on roads and chanting slogans, while others staged a handcuffed foot march against the BJP in the national capital. As the police attempted to push them back, the workers were seen attempting to cross the barricades. The officers ordered the party workers to enter the office.
AAP workers demonstrated outside the party’s headquarters in the national capital, shouting slogans like “Jail ke taale tutenge, Manish Sisodia chutenge” (Jail locks will be broken, Manish Sisodia will be freed). They have come to be arrested, according to AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, because the agency has arrested Manish Sisodia in a false case.
“The Centre wants to arrest every leader, MLA and Minister of the AAP. So we, too, have come to PM Modi asking to be arrested. All of us have come to give our arrest. End our party and put us all in jail. The world should know that there is a dictatorship in India and the situation of Emergency is prevailing,” AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj told ANI earlier.
Meanwhile, the CBI issued a statement on Sisodia’s arrest on Sunday, claiming he was giving evasive answers and was not cooperating in the ongoing investigation into the liquor scam. The agency also stated that Sisodia had been summoned earlier on February 19 in connection with the ongoing investigation, but had requested a week’s extension citing the Delhi Budget.
“The Deputy CM was issued a notice under section 41A of CrPC for attending the investigation on February 19, 2023. However, he sought time of one week citing his preoccupation,” the CBI stated.
On his arrest, the CBI issued a statement saying, “He gave evasive replies and did not cooperate in the investigation despite being confronted with evidence to the contrary. Therefore, he has been arrested.”
